Eritrea: Whether Eritreans returning to Eritrea since the commencement of the May 1998 border war with Ethiopia are being conscripted into military service and, if so, whether they are sent to the front lines; if so, how long is the training period and is there any alternative to military service

According to reports from Amnesty International and the Institute for Strategic Studies, the requirement for national service is now two years inclusive of a six month military training period (1998, 244; 1996, 147). Amnesty International states that the 1994 regulations were changed in October 1996 such that national service is "compulsory for men and women aged 18 to 50 years, with no provision for conscientious objection" (ibid.).

There are numerous reports of Ethiopia expelling Eritreans, of the use of conscripts by Eritrea in the war with Ethiopia, as well as of a substantial commitment of troops by both countries to the war. In terms of the size of active Eritrean military forces, The Military 1997/98 provides an approximate figure of 46,000 (244). However, other sources provide higher for the period since the beginning of the conflict with Ethiopia: 200,000 Eritrean soldiers (AP 24 Dec. 1998; Jane's Defence Weekly 10 Mar. 1999), 400,000 troops from both countries (The Washington Post 10 Jan. 1999), and "hundreds of thousands of troops ... entrenched on both sides of the border" (AP 1 Nov. 1998). Several sources referred to a "massive" deployment of military personnel by both countries (AC 29 May 1998; ibid. 7 Aug. 1998; ARB 29 Sept. 1998, 13207; HRW 1998, 40).

Country Reports 1998 states that Eritrea "called up reserves and increased its armed forces to approximately 100,000 to 120,000 soldiers" (1999). However, in regard to Eritreans returning from Ethiopia, this source also reports:

Eritreans deported from Ethiopia crossed the border and were allowed to resettle in Eritrea. The deportees were provided with a $200 (1500 nakfa) grant from the Eritrean Relief and Refugee Commission, and, if they wished, placed in villages with friends or family. Those who no longer had connections in Eritrea were placed temporarily in refugee camps before being settled in the general population. In order to facilitate the deportees' integration into society, the Government has provided them with documentation of Eritrean citizenry (ibid.).

The following limited chronology provides information on Eritrea's use of conscripts since the commencement of the May 1998 border war with Ethiopia. Without elaborating, Indian Ocean Newsletter reported on 23 May 1998 that the conflict "has rebounded onto Eritreans living in Ethiopia, including those who fled their country to avoid military call-up."

A 22 June 1998 report from Africa Research Bulletin quotes "military sources" as saying that "at least 200,000 Eritreans  - including regular army, veterans and youths doing compulsory military service - have been mobilized" (1303). Africa Confidential reported on 12 June 1998 that both countries had called up "reservists and veterans."

On 17 June 1998, Eritrean radio broadcast the following:

The Federal Police and Prisons Department has ordered Eritreans residing in Ethiopia who are members of the Sha'biyyah government or army and all Eritreans trained at the Sawa Eritrean national military training camp to report in person as from tomorrow to the district police station nearest to their places of residence.

A statement issued today by the department concerning members of the Eritrean Government army said that the government had given them stringent orders to report to their nearest district police station tomorrow between 0900 and 1700.  The department warned that if they fail to comply, the government will take all necessary legal action against them (Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea).

An 11 September 1998 Africa Confidential article reported on concerns of Eritrean military commanders regarding "front-line use of conscripts, the 'Sawa kids', trained at main national service centre at Sawa, western Eritrea," as well as the use of veterans who were dismissed in April 1993 after mutinying over a lack of pay.

On 7 October 1998 AFP reported that Eritrea had "called to arms some 80,000 youths trained since...1991," for military service in the territorial dispute with Ethiopia. On 23 October, Africa Confidential also reported on the call-up of 80,000 Eritrean National Servicemen, in addition to its regular "army of 55,000 or more."

AP reported on 1 November 1998 that Eritrea had been "forced...to conscript most young men and women who would normally be harvesting crops" and that, as a result, professors, secretaries, and judges were being used on farms instead. The Washington Post described the use of Eritrean regular troops "on an improvised road that parallels a highway project abandoned seven months ago, when young 'national service' workers were abruptly pressed into military service" (10 Jan. 1999). Jane's Defence Weekly reported on Eritrea's call up of war veterans, "local militia units", and "national service conscripts" and stated that 120,000 conscripts "have passed through the six completion courses at its Sawa training centre" (10 Mar. 1999). A 1 April 1999 Washington Times article reported that Eritrea had "drafted some 40,000" conscripts.

In a 2 April 1999 report on renewed fighting between the two countries, the Addis Tribune stated that:

Currently Eritrea has imposed conscription, a new development. All young men starting from the age of 15/16 are being forced to fight at the front. It is possible that this latest escalation has propelled the Eritrean war effort into the realm of Total war- where every resource, natural and human, every propagandistic, political, military and social tool is geared towards war.

The Indian Ocean Newsletter stated on 3 April 1999 that:

Eritrea is also mobilizing men and has stopped issuing exit visas to all male citizens under the age of 40. Large numbers of Eritreans who formerly managed to escape call-up for various reasons are now being swept into the military net. Embassies and foreign companies are moving heaven and earth to get their skilled employees exempted from the four-month basic training followed by twelve months national service (usually in development projects or the army). Some estimates put the number of new Eritrean recruits at between 40,000 and 60,000.

Referring to statements by an Ethiopian government spokesperson, BBC reported on 15 April 1999 that "some abducted Ethiopians are being conscripted into the Eritrean military and are forced to participate in the ninth round of Sawa national service training."

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Addis Tribune [Addis Ababa]. 2 April 1999. "Ethiopia; Still No Sign of Cease-Fire." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Africa Confidential. [London]. 23 October 1998. Vol. 39, No. 21. "Ethiopia/Eritrea: Moving Deadlines."

_____. 11 September 1998. Vol. 39, No. 18. "Ethiopia/Eritrea: Brothers at War."

_____. 7 August 1998. Vol. 39, No. 16. "Eritrea/Ethiopia; Last Ditch."

_____. 12 June 1998. Vol. 39, No. 12. "Eritrea/Ethiopia; Masters of War."

_____. 29 May 1998. Vol. 39, No. 11. "Eritrea/Ethiopia: Murder in the Family."

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. 29 September 1998. Vol. 35, No. 8. "Political Relations: Eritrea-Ethiopia; Last Ditch Summit."

_____. 22 June 1998. Vol. 35, No. 5. "Eritrea-Ethiopia: On the Brink of War."

Agence France Presse (AFP). 7 October 1998. "Ethiopia: Ethiopian Volunteers Head for Border With Eritrea." (FBIS-AFR-98-281 8 Oct. 1998/WNC)

Amnesty International. 1997. Amnesty International Report 1996. New York: Amnesty International USA.

Associated Press (AP). 24 December 1998. Julia Stewart. "Western-Style Christmas Making Inroads in Orthodox, Muslim Eritrea." (NEXIS)

_____. 1 November 1998. Julia Stewart. "AP Photo NY194." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 15 April 1999. "Government Reports Eritrean 'Gross Human Rights Violations'." (NEXIS)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998. 1999. United States Department of State. [Internet] [Accessed 15 Apr. 1999]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 1998. Human Rights Watch World Report 1999. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Indian Ocean Newsletter [Paris]. 3 April 1999. No. 852. "Eritrea/Ethiopia: General Mobilization."

_____. 23 May 1998. No. 812. "Eritrea/Ethiopia: HT Frontier."

Jane's Defence Weekly. 10 March 1999. Patrick Gilkes. "Eritrea Accepts Peace Accord After Defeat." (NEXIS)

The Military Balance 1997-1998. 1998. London: International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea [Asmara, in Tigrinya]. 17 June 1998. "Eritrea: Ethiopia - Eritrean Ex-Soldiers Required to Report to Police." (FBIS-AFR-98-168 17 June 1998/WNC)

The Washington Post. 10 January 1999. Karl Vick. "On the Road to 'Mega Tragedy'; Ethiopia, Eritrea Put Progress at Risk as They Move toward 'Full-Blown War." (NEXIS)

Washington Times. 1 April 1999. "Off to Boot Camp." (NEXIS)